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The ongoing dispute between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Canada continues to escalate. In the latest development, Saudi state television channel Al Arabiya aired a segment criticizing Canada’s human rights record, making a number of false claims—such as that Jordan Peterson had been arrested for his political views—while also pointing to real issues such as Canada’s abysmal treatment of Indigenous people. Though Saudi Arabia itself is one of the most repressive and reactionary regimes in the world, its televised broadside against Canada underscores the severity of the recent quarrel between the two countries. What is the meaning of this unprecedented breakdown in relations?

The death of King Abdullah, who ruled Saudi Arabia for nearly 10 years has triggered a chorus of praise from many bourgeois government leaders, showing that the hypocrisy of the ruling class, especially in Canada, knows no limits.

On Wednesday, 14 June, Corporal Michael Estrella was killed during combat operations in Iraq’s Anbar province, bringing the total number of US troops killed in Iraq to 2,500. Bush’s war has turned into a quagmire.